Shattered Love | Scorch Trials

Wonder

  I nod. "Lets begin."

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  When I wake up, the first thing I see is darkness. Its nighttime. I make out a head in front of me.

  "Newt?" I whisper.

  "No. Just me."

  Aris.

  I feel awkward for some reason. I've only seen Aris once, besides my dreams. And everything he talked to me about while I was in the Glade, it was weird.

  "What time is it?" I ask, sitting up.

"No clue."

  "Why are you awake?"

  "Just watching you."

  "That's not creepy at all."

  I sense a smile grow on his face. "I was worried about you. Worried you wouldn't wake up, like sleeping beauty. I guess that makes me the Prince." His hands barely brush mine. "I thought you were dead," He says.

"Me too."

  "You should've seen Newt. He was about to rip his eyes out...he really cares about you, ya know?"

  "Yeah, yeah he does." I say, tugging the blanket up higher.

  "Are you guys a couple?" Aris blurts out.

  "What? Why?"

  "Seems like it."

  "Well, um, we are. I think."

  Its quiet for a minute.

  "You still there?" I ask.

  "Yeah. I think you should go to bed. You need rest."

  "Okay. Goodnight."

  "Goodnight, Olivia." He squeezes my hand before I hear the ruffles of his sheet as he goes back to bed in the bunk across from me.

  Except I can't fall back asleep. I stare up at the bottom of the bed above me where Newt is sleeping. I count the bolts and the splinters sticking out, thinking about this whole situation.

  I think about Chuck. I've cried enough tears to see my reflection in them, and so now the thoughts of him numb my body. His presence ripped out of my life makes me cold.

  I think about all my memories. My mom. My younger self. Aris.

  I decide I am done thinking. At least for that night. And that's why I don't hesitate to rip the sheets off of me and climb up the ladder to Newt, sleeping above me.

  I whisper, "Newt?"

  "Hello, love." He mumbles, half asleep.

  "I can't sleep." I say.

  "Well this bed has room for two." He shifts over to make room for me. Its a tight fit but I snuggle under the covers and into his arms, which wrap around my stomach and pull me next to him. He nuzzles his face into my hair. I can tell he's already fallen back asleep by the quiet snores.

  And ironically, I fall fast asleep in Newt's arms.

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  A bright light wakes me up. Newt's arms are still around me, he's still snoozing.

  The next thing I see is Minho's stupid face.

  "Awh, would you look at that. Next time, get a room." Minho says, rolling his eyes.

  I push his face away. "Get outta here. I want to sleep some more." I mumble.

  "Too bad, sweetheart. While you and Newt were busy shucking last night-"

  "We were not!" I hear Newt say, which tickles my neck.

  "It's rude to interrupt people, Newt. Anyway, we've got a visitor." Minho says.

  "What are you talking about?" I ask, trying to sit up. "Newt, let go of me." I whine, trying to pry his hands off of my waist.

  "Mehhh." He mutters and stuffs his face into a pillow.

  I sit up and take a look around. I see all the Gladers looking at the far end of the room, something I can't see. I crawl out of bed and climb down. My weight makes my legs wobbly, I am still really weak from the previous days.

  "Nice outfit." He says, gesturing to my ugly sweatpants and tank top. I ignore him.

  "Get me food." I tell Minho, who's acting like an idiot.

  "Yes sir." He replies, walking away.

  "Really?" I ask as he comes back. He hands me an apple and a granola bar, which I quickly eat before combing my fingers through my hair as I shake Newt awake.

  "Newt, baby, its time to get up." I coo. I feel like a wife trying to get my husband up. Newt's not a morning person.

  "Fine," He grumbles and sits up, his morning hair sticking out all over the place. He rubs his eyes before leaning over to give me a soft kiss. "Good morning, love." He says.

  "Hey lovebirds, get your butts down here!" Minho says. I roll my eyes and we climb down. "Take a look." Minho points to where all the Gladers are watching.

  Its a man. He sits casually at a desk that wasn't there before, his feet propped up. He's just staring at us. At me.

  I walk over to where he is. "Olivia, wait!" Someone shouts, but not before I run smack straight into an invisible barrier. I rub my sore nose as the man rolls his eyes.

  He wears a black lab outfit. WICKED sewn into his coat. His nose is long and pointy and he reminds me of a rat. He looks familiar.

  "You work for WICKED?" I ask.

  He ignores me.

  "Why are you here?" I ask again.

  No response.

  "Answer me!" I say more forcefully this time.

  He groans and rolls his eyes in annoyance.

  He says, "I still have two minutes and thirty-seven seconds until I can begin Phase Two of the Trials."